Progress 07/01/10 to 06/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Target Audience Researchers, Managers, Extension Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Opportunities This project has provided training opportunities for 5 graduate and a number of undergraduate students attending USU who have subsequently taken positions at federal and state agencies. Our Graduate students include a contract employee for the U.S. Forest Service, an Environmental Manager at the Utah Army National Guard, A senior lecturer at the University of the South Pacific (Fiji), A GIS specialist with the Utah Geological Survey, and post-doctoral fellow for the USFS-FIA program stationed at USU. Each graduate continues to work in the field of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems as applied to natural resource management. While at USU, these students participated in extending their science to user groups throughout the state including the Utah Geographic Information Council and the annual AZ/UT Range Livestock Workshop and Tour. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dissemination Results from the monitoring effort at Milford Flats have been presented at the Utah Geographic Information Council Meeting in Filmore, Utah in October. Data and results have also been delivered to the BLM for review. Results from the UDWR disturbance database effort has been disseminated to Sage Grouse Working Groups across the state of Utah for their feedback. This effort is currently underway and we expect results from this review soon. We have coupled these projects with a broader effort called UtahView that promotes the use of remote sensing data and products to various groups including managers, researchers, college students as well as k-12. UtahView is part of a nation-wide consortium of Universities called AmericaView. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Accomplishments Objective: Develop repeatable, transparent, timely, yet affordable means of monitoring trends across large areas of rangelands and to use this information to support the development of state and transition models for Utah rangelands. We have finalized our satellite-based evaluation of re-vegetation success on the Milford Flats fire of 2007 for the Bureau of Land Management utilizing the most recent imagery collected in 2014 to assess changes in cheatgrass distribution and add to the growth trend of late-season perennial grasses. Our results show that post-fire cheatgrass distribution has not returned to pre-fire levels and that perennial late-season grasses continue to expand. We are also completing the development of three state-and-transition models for sagebrush and pinion-juniper communities within the Milford Flats area. Objective: Establish methodologies that utilize ecological site descriptions and state and transition models as a contextual framework for monitoring landscapes across the state of Utah. By utilizing this approach, we not only interpret results of spectral analysis within the context of the local environments ecological site and state and transition model, but also test the hypothesis presented by the state-and-transition model for a given landscape. Accomplishments: This objective was met in part by the completion of Carson Stam's Masters Thesis titled: "Using Biophysical Geospatial and Remotely Sensed Data to Classify Ecological Sites and States". This thesis was completed at the end of the 2012 calendar year. This effort was continued through a contract funded by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to map disturbed lands and establish a baseline disturbance database within the defined sage grouse management areas. This effort was completed in June of 2014 and the UDWR is currently reviewing the products with the various sage grouse working groups distributed across the state. This database was developed through the interpretation of digital imagery and will establish the disturbance baseline from which future monitoring activities will be compared against. The disturbance baseline includes the geographic locations of all anthropogenic disturbances as well as all wildfires (natural or human caused) from 1984 to the present. We are currently awaiting the results of the working group reviews in order to design a monitoring scheme that allows the state to evaluate future disturbances in relation to the baseline.
Publications
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Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14
Outputs
Target Audience: Target Audience Researchers, managers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Opportunities This project has provided training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students attending USU who have subsequently taken positions at federal and state agencies. Our most recent graduate student, Nathan Payne, was hired by the Utah Geological Survey as a GIS analyst connected to their ground-water program. As a result of this job offer, Nathan did not complete his MS, and I am working with him to convert his MS program to a Masters of Natural Resources. We continue to interact with land managers through local professional meetings such as the 2013 Utah Geographic Information Council, Utah Chapter of the Society for Range Management, as well as the Sage Grouse Working Groups which are composed of land managers, land owners, and other stake holders. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Dissemination Results from the UDWR disturbance database effort has been disseminated to Sage Grouse Working Groups across the state of Utah for their feedback. This effort is currently underway and we expect results from this review early in 2015. We continue to deliver data and results of our monitoring of the Milford Flats fire to the BLM Cedar City Field Office for review. We are also coupling this project with a broader effort called UtahView that promotes the use of remote sensing data and products to various groups including managers, researchers, college students as well as k-12. UtahView is part of a nation-wide consortium of Universities called AmericaView. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Plan of Work The plan of work for the remaining 6 months of this project will be to finalize results for the Milford Flats monitoring effort by incorporating satellite imagery for the 2014 growing season. Barring additional funding from the BLM to continue the monitoring effort, the 2014 growing season will be the final year of the study. We will also work to finalize state and transition models to the BLM and NRCS.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Accomplishments Objective: Develop repeatable, transparent, timely, yet affordable means of monitoring trends across large areas of rangelands and to use this information to support the development of state and transition models for Utah rangelands. Accomplishments Representing this Year of Effort: We have made additional updates of our evaluation of re-vegetation success on the Milford Flats fire of 2007 for the Bureau of Land Management utilizing the most recent imagery collected in 2014 to assess changes in cheatgrass distribution and add to the growth trend of late-season perennial grasses. Our results continue to show that post-fire cheatgrass distribution has not returned to pre-fire levels and that perennial late-season grasses continue to expand. We are also completing the development of three state-and-transition models for sagebrush and pinion-juniper communities within the Milford Flats area. Objective: Establish methodologies that utilize ecological site descriptions and state and transition models as a contextual framework for monitoring landscapes across the state of Utah. By utilizing this approach, we not only interpret results of spectral analysis within the context of the local environments ecological site and state and transition model, but also test the hypothesis presented by the state-and-transition model for a given landscape. Accomplishments: As reported last year, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) provided funding to establish a disturbance baseline database for all Sage Grouse Management Areas (SGMA) in Utah. We completed the baseline disturbance database in June of 2014 and the UDWR is currently reviewing the products with the various sage grouse working groups distributed across the state. This database was developed through the interpretation of digital imagery and will establish the disturbance baseline from which future monitoring activities will be compared against. The disturbance baseline includes the geographic locations of all anthropogenic disturbances as well as all wildfires (natural or human caused) from 1984 to the present. We are currently awaiting the results of the working group reviews in order to design a monitoring scheme that allows the state to evaluate future disturbances in relation to the baseline.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Mittanck, C., Rogers, P. C., Ramsey, D., Bartos, D. L., Ryel, R. J. (2014). Exploring Succession Within Aspen Communities Using a Habitat-Based Modeling Approach. Ecological Modelling, 288, 203-212. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380014002920
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Sant, E. D., Simonds, G. E., Ramsey, D., Larsen, R. T. (2014). Assessment of sagebrush cover using remote sensing at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Ecological Indicators, 43.
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Progress 01/01/13 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Researchers, managers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? This project has provided training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students attending USU who have subsequently taken positions at federal and state agencies. Our most recent graduate, Carson Stam (MS, 2012) has taken a position with a federal contractor tasked with monitoring U.S. Forest Service lands with Remote Sensing. We have also interacted with land managers through local professional meetings such as the 2013 Utah Geographic Information Council annual meeting in Filmore Utah. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results from this years monitoring effort at Milford Flats has been presented at the Utah Geographic Information Council Meeting in Filmore, Utah in October. Data and results have also been delivered to the BLM for review. We are also coupling this project with a broader effort called UtahView that promotes the use of remote sensing data and products to various groups including managers, researchers, college students as well as k-12. UtahView is part of a nation-wide consortium of Universities called AmericaView. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Objective: Develop repeatable, transparent, timely, yet affordable means of monitoring trends across large areas of rangelands and to use this information to support the development of state and transition models for Utah rangelands. Plan of Work: We will continue our work at Milford Flats through a continuing agreement with the Bureau of Land Management. A different effort will be carried out across the state for sage grouse management areas. This is discussed below under "General Plan of Work". Objective: We will establish methodologies that utilize ecological site descriptions and state and transition models as a contextual framework for monitoring landscapes across the state of Utah. By utilizing this approach, we not only interpret results of spectral analysis within the context of the local environments ecological site and state and transition model, but also test the hypothesis presented by the state-and-transition model for a given landscape. Plan of Work: As with the first objective above, we will continue our efforts at Milford Flats and also extend to the sage grouse management areas across the state. General Plan of Work: For the coming year we will focus on the development of manuscripts to publish our results at Milford Flats in the peer-reviewed literature. We will also continue our effort to develop historic land cover maps for Box Elder County as a test case to develop protocols. We have been contracted by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UT-DWR) to develop a disturbance baseline database for sage grouse management areas within the state. This disturbance baseline will catalog all land disturbances (fire, agriculture, roads, development, etc.) up to May of 2013. The purpose of this database is to provide the UT-DWR a history of land disturbance within these management areas so that future monitoring efforts can assess the change in disturbed lands. The Utah Sage Grouse Management Plan has established a 5% cap on annual disturbance increase in these management areas. In order to determine disturbance change, the state needs to establish a initial disturbance baseline. We will also work with the UT-DWR to establish a monitoring scheme to assess future disturbances.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective: Develop repeatable, transparent, timely, yet affordable means of monitoring trends across large areas of rangelands and to use this information to support the development of state and transition models for Utah rangelands. Accomplishments: We have completed the update of our evaluation of re-vegetation success on the Milford Flats fire of 2007 for the Bureau of Land Management. We utilized high temporal frequency satellite imagery to develop phenological growth curves for vegetation communities across the fire area. This effort extended our results to the summer of 2013 by monitoring cheatgrass and late-season perennial grass distribution. Our results show that post-fire cheatgrass distribution did not return to pre-fire levels and that perennial late-season grasses continue to expand. We have also completed the development of two state-and-transition models for two shadscale communities within the Milford Flats area. Objective: We will establish methodologies that utilize ecological site descriptions and state and transition models as a contextual framework for monitoring landscapes across the state of Utah. By utilizing this approach, we not only interpret results of spectral analysis within the context of the local environments ecological site and state and transition model, but also test the hypothesis presented by the state-and-transition model for a given landscape. Accomplishments: This objective was met in part by the completion of Carson Stam's Masters Thesis titled: "Using Biophysical Geospatial and Remotely Sensed Data to Classify Ecological Sites and States". This thesis was completed at the end of the 2012 calendar year. This effort will be continued through a contract funded by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to map disturbed lands within the defined sage grouse management areas.
Publications
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Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Carson Stam has completed his M.S. by successfully defending his research on October 26, 2012. His thesis titled: "Using Biophysical Geospatial and Remotely Sensed Data to Classify Ecological Sites and States" established baseline conditions as measured from remotely sensed instruments for a variety of ecological sites in Rich County, Utah. He has shown that ecological site boundaries can be explicitly delineated within soil mapping units (as opposed to the current implicit occurrence with a soil mapping unit) and that various land cover states of selected ecological sites can be discriminated and mapped. PARTICIPANTS: Bureau of Land Management, Deseret Land and Livestock Company, USDA-NRCS TARGET AUDIENCES: Researchers, managers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
"This work has improved our ability to monitor ecological sites and understand how sites transition to other vegetation types. Our final results for this research has shown that multi-temporal imagery coupled with field reconnaissance can be used to better delineate ecological sites and map different ecological states. An improved knowledge of the spatial distribution and extent of vegetation components within ecological sites can lead to improved delineation of soils as well as a better understanding of the different state-and-transition forces occurring on these landscapes The effort by Carson Stam in Rich County this past year resulted in a Masters Thesis which was delivered to our two collaborators: Deseret Land and Livestock (a private ranch in Rich County and a leader in innovative land management) who allowed access to their land as well as the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service State Rangeland Management Specialist who provided background information and interpretations of draft ecological site descriptions. Both collaborators intend to use these results to evaluate how their land management and mapping programs can be improved. Improving the spatial precision of ecological sites can lead to a fundamental change in how the NRCS maps soil and subsequently how private and public management agencies develop management prescriptions. While a direct economic evaluation of this current years work cannot be made at this time, our past research has shown that the use of remote sensing to map natural resources improves the efficiency of expensive field based methods. The ability to evaluate landscapes as a whole compared to using limited point-based field recognizance is a significant contribution to land management efforts."
Publications
- Terletzky, P., Ramsey, D., & Neale, C. M., (2012). Spectral Characteristics of Domestic and Wild Mammals: GIScience and Remote Sensing, 49(4): 597-608. (Published).
- Washington-Allen, R. A., Ramsey, D., Van Neil, T. G., & West, N. E. 2012 Application of Threshold Concepts in Natural Resource Decision Making Detection of Harbingers of Catastrophic Regime Shifts in Drylands. Springer Verlag. (Submitted).
- Hernandez, A. J., & Ramsey, D. 2012. Monitoring Semiarid Rangelands with Multitemporal Vegetation Continuous Fields: Multivariate Regression Trees vs. Random Forests: Rangeland Ecology and Management. (Submitted).
- Lowry, J. H., Hooten, M. B., & Ramsey, D. 2012. Using spatial and demographic metrics to quantify differences in pre-suburban, suburban, and late-suburban residential neighborhoods: A case study in Salt Lake County, Utah, U.S.A.: Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design. (Revising to Resubmit).
- Hernandez, A. J., & Ramsey, D. 2012. Using support vector machines and remotely sensed datasets to assess dynamics of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) extent in northern Utah: International Journal of Remote Sensing. (Revising to Resubmit).
- Hernandez, A. J., & Ramsey, D., (2012). A Landscape Similarity Index: Multitemporal Remote Sensing to Track Changes in Big Sagebrush Ecological Sites: Rangeland Ecology and Management. (Published).
- Lowry, J. H., Baker, M. E., & Ramsey, D., (2012). Determinants of urban tree canopy in residential neighborhoods: Household characteristics, urban form, and the geophysical landscape: Urban Ecosystems, 15(1): 247-266. (Published).
- Hernandez, A. J., Saborio, J., Ramsey, D., & Rivera, S., (2012). Likelihood of occurrence of bark beetle attacks on conifer forests in Honduras under normal and climate change scenarios: Geocarto International, 27(7): 581-592. (Published).
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Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During 2011 we have completed the Milford Flat fire monitoring effort with the final report delivered to the BLM in April. Results show that the reseeding effort within the fire boundary shifted the time of peak greenness to later in the summer, an indication that warmer season grasses were becoming established and the characteristic, early-season, green-up of cheatgrass was not as prevalent. During May of 2011, Alexander Hernandez successfully completed and defended his dissertation which was in part funded by the AES. His dissertation, titled "Spatialtemporal Modeling of Threats to Big Sagebrush Ecological Sites in Northern Utah" was able to demonstrate how remote sensing could be used to identify changes in ecological states and how statistically similar those states were to undesired conditions. Alex has submitted three chapters for publication. Two chapters have been accepted pending revision. PARTICIPANTS: Bureau of Land Management TARGET AUDIENCES: Researchers, managers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The cost of the Milford Flats fire is estimated at $30 Million including suppression efforts and reclamation. Our effort provided a means by which the BLM could quantitatively and defensibly evaluate the success of their reclamation effort across a large landscape (330,000 acres) for less than 1/2 of 1% of the total cost of the fire. Concurrent efforts by BLM vegetation monitoring crews to evaluate seeding success using standard range site data collection practices has been on-going since the summer of 2007. While no direct comparison of costs has been made between field and remote sensing based monitoring for the Milford Flats fire, the total budget for our effort would roughly equal the cost of maintaining a 3-person field crew for one summer. While there are significant differences between the two techniques, our work covered the entire landscape for the span of 3 years while conventional field sampling has been on-going since 2008, is point specific and therefore difficult to extrapolate across a large landscape. One specific product generated by this project that is starting to make a significant impact is the rapid cheatgrass assessment map. These maps were developed for the Milford area for each of the past 10 years and represent the estimated density of cheatgrass on a yearly basis. This product has been extrapolated to the entire state of Utah and is currently being used by Dugway Proving Grounds for raptor habitat research as well as the BLM Rapid Ecosystem Assessment Effort, and the Utah State Department of Agriculture grazing program. These maps allow land managers to evaluate the distribution and density of cheatgrass on a yearly basis to plan mitigation efforts and potentially reduce the costs of fire related efforts.
Publications
- UTAO+905 Rivera, S., Hernandez, A. J., Lowry, J. L., Ramsey, D., Lezama, R., & Velazquez, M. A., (2011). A Comparison Between Cluster-Busting Technique and a Classification Tree Algorithm of a MODIS Land Cover Map of Honduras: Geocarto International. (Published).
- UTAO+905 Rivera, S., Hernandez, A. J., Lowry, J. L., Ramsey, D., Lezama, R., & Velazquez, M., (2011). A MODIS Generated Land Cover Mapping of Honduras: A Base-Line Layout to Create a National Monitoring Center: Revista de Teledeteccion, 35: 94-108. (Published).
- UTAO+905 Lowry, J. H., Baker, M. E., & Ramsey, D., (2011). Determinants of urban tree canopy in residential neighborhoods: Household characteristics, urban form, and the geophysical landscape: Urban Ecosystems. (Published).
- UTAO+905 Oukrop, C. M., Evans, D. M., Bartos, D. L., Ramsey, D., Ryel, R. J. (2011). Moderate-scale mapping methods of aspen stand types: a case study for Cedar Mountain in southern Utah. USFS - Rocky Mountain Research Station(RMRS-GTR-259). (Published).
- UTAO+905 DeRose, J., Long, J. N., & Ramsey, D., (2011). Combining dendrochronogical data and the disturbance index to assess Engelmann spruce mortality caused by a spruce beetle outbreak in southern Utah, USA.: Remote Sensing of Environment, 115: 2342-2348. (Published).
- UTAO+905 Lowry, J. H., Ramsey, D., & Kjelgren, R. K., (2011). Predicting urban forest growth and its impact on residential landscape water demand in a semiarid urban environment: Urban Forests & Urban Greening, 10(3): 193-204. (Published).
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Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During the 2010 calendar year, we have worked to complete the first phase of the Milford Flat Fire monitoring effort utilizing an array of remote sensing instruments to measure the success of post-fire vegetation treatments. We have compiled imagery from 2000 through 2010 and analyzed the changes in vegetation reflectance before and after the fire. Results show that for the 2009 and 2010 water years (October 1 - September 30), the vegetation growth curves have changed significantly from a early spring green-up prior to the fire and treatments to a late spring, early summer green-up post treatment. This indicates that warmer season grasses are dominating spring sprouting annuals such as cheatgrass. Field work has supported this finding. Following land treatment and seeding, there is little evidence of cheatgrass in the system as a whole. Some unburned and untreated pockets of cheatgrass do remain, but it is no longer a dominant feature on the landscape. PARTICIPANTS: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management, NASA, Utah Department of Natural Resources, Utah Department of Agriculture TARGET AUDIENCES: Researchers, managers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The Bureau of Land Management has reportedly spent approximately $30 million to extinguish and revegetate the 335,000 acres that comprised the largest single wildfire in Utah history. Monitoring the success of this investment will be heavily dependent on remote sensing and it's ability to track changes in vegetation in semi-arid landscapes. The impacts of this research will be to provide the BLM and other land management agencies the capacity to holistically monitor large landscapes in a cost efficient manner. While not a replacement for field work, remote sensing can provide a whole-landscape perspective that field monitoring cannot. The estimated cost of this project is 1/2 of 1% the cost of fighting and revegetating the fire area. In addition to these impacts, our research has supported in part one Ph.D. student who will complete his program during the winter of 2011.
Publications
- Ramsey, D. 2010. Retrospective assessment of dryland soil stability in relation to grazing and climate change: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 160: 101-121.
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: An Ecological Site is a distinctive kind of land with specific biophysical characteristics that determine its ability to produce distinctive kinds and amounts of vegetation in response to management. The Ecological Site Description (ESD) provides a written, detailed description of an Ecological Site and is an important tool for conservation planning and management of range and forests. A key component of a modern ESD is the "State and Transition Model" (STM). State and Transition models can be used to anticipate likely future ecosystem condition based on various disturbances, and constitute a decision support system for land management. An STM is defined as a non-linear variant of the traditional Clementsian successional paradigm. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have adopted the ESD/STM concept as a framework to guide management decisions. A major issue in Utah is the lack of completed ESDs. Over 90% of the projected ESDs in the state are in draft form only. This year we completed the development of STMs for ecological sites in Rich County, Utah with support from the NRCS. This collaborative effort resulted in the development of spatial models to assist in the correlation of ecological site descriptions to soil map units. The spatial models utilized field data coupled with biophysical spatial data to map the potential and actual distribution of individual key plant species. Individual plant species distribution maps were combined to spatially depict community composition and link these compositions to soil map units. This process allowed us to better correlate ecological site descriptions (ESD) and provide insight into the development of the STMs. Key outputs included one final report, a database with the correlation of soil map units in Rich County with ESD's. This project also produced one MS student (Katheryn Peterson) and three manuscripts that will be submitted for peer review during January of 2010. This project developed 64 ESDs/STMs for Utah. It is estimated that approximately 500 ESD's exist in Utah. The spatial modeling techniques developed under the Rich County effort will assist in the correlation of the remaining ESD's in Utah. PARTICIPANTS: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management, NASA, Utah Department of Natural Resources, Utah Department of Agriculture TARGET AUDIENCES: Researchers, managers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The Rich County Ecological Site Description and State and Transition Model project has provided the Utah NRCS with a set of ESDs and STMs for the Multiple Land Resource Areas (MLRAs) that intersect Rich County. These ESDs and STMs and are currently being extrapolated to other locations in Utah and is supporting work by a second graduate student who is wholly funded by the NRCS. The Utah NRCS is also beginning to implement the spatial modeling developed in Rich County to other areas of Utah to assist in ESD correlation and STM development. The spatial modeling developed in this project has the ability to generate potential distribution maps of individual native plants across a given landscape. Individual maps of potential native plant distributions can be combined to produce potential community type maps of individual species assemblagees. This has the potential to provide insights into general vegetation conditions prior to European settlements and therefore establish basic base lines for the development of state and transition models.
Publications
- Washington-Allen, R.A., N.E. West, R.D. Ramsey, D.H. Phillips, and H. H. Shugart. 2010. Retrospective assessment of dryland soil stability in relation to grazing and climate change. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 160:101-121.
- Ramsey, R.D., J. Lowry, N.E. West, L.L. Stoner, K. Peterson, S. Rivera, L. Shultz. 2008. Development of State and Transition Models for Selected Ecological Site Descriptions in Utah. Final Report to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
- Peterson, Kathryn A. 2008. Modeling Potential Native Plant Species Distributions in Rich County, Utah. Thesis :1-96.
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This year we have produced 1 master level graduate student, Katheryn Peterson whose thesis was titled: Modeling Potential Native Plant Species Distributions in Rich County, Utah. This work was pivotal to the completion of a large project primarily funded by the Utah NRCS to develop State and Transition models and complete ecological site descriptions for Rich County, Utah. This was a "foundation" project to help direct the Utah NRCS in the method of completion of ecological site descriptions as well as state and transition models for Utah. We have also completed the Box Elder County big sagebrush change project for the Bureau of Land Management which resulted in the use of remote sensing and GIS technologies to model the loss in big sagebrush communities by comparing a current map of big sagebrush distribution with published ecological site descriptions which characterizes the landscapes natural condition. PARTICIPANTS: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management, NASA, Utah Department of Natural Resources, Utah Department of Agriculture TARGET AUDIENCES: Researchers, managers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The Rich County NRCS project has provided guidelines for State Range Conservationist to establish state-wide standards for Ecological Site Descriptions and State and Transition models attached to each soil map unit. The Box Elder County project has provided both the NRCS and BLM with a methodology to compare current land cover conditions with historic land cover in order to develop a landscape level assessment of rangeland change. The work in Box Elder County has led to additional work with the BLM in south central Utah to develop a monitoring scheme utilizing remote sensing to assess the success of revegetation activities following the historic Milford Flats Fire of 2007.
Publications
- Washington-Allen, R. A., R. D. Ramsey, N. E. West, and B. E. Norton. 2008. Quantification of the ecological resilience of drylands using digital remote sensing. Ecology and Society 13(1):33.
- Lowry, J.L., L. Langs, R.D. Ramsey, J. Kirby, and K. Shultz 2008. An Ecological Framework for Fuzzy Set Accuracy Assessment of Remote Sensing-Based Land Cover Maps. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 74(12):1509-1519.
- Lowry, J.L. Jr., R.D. Ramsey, et al. 2007. Mapping Meso-Scale Land Cover Over Very Large Geographic Areas Within a Collaborative Framework: A Case Study of the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project (SWReGAP). Remote Sensing of Environment 108:59-73.
- Nield, S.J., J.L. Boettinger, R. D. Ramsey 2007. Digitally Mapping Gypsic and Natric Soils Using Landsat and Topographic Data. Soil Science Society of America Journal 71:245-252.
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: For this reporting the digitization of historic literature and ground photo database compiled over the career of Dr. Neil West continues and we anticipate completion by summer of '08. All documents are stored in PDF format and have been processed using an optical character recognition (OCR) program to make each file searchable. Over 12,500 35mm transparencies taken by Dr. West during his career have been completed and documented. This collection represents a valuable and irreproducible history that will assist in the characterization of baseline range conditions and an understanding of transitional pathways for various ecosystems. Additional progress includes assisting the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to correlate Ecological Site Descriptions (ESD) for Rich County, Utah. This is in preparation for the development of state-and-transition (S&T) models for this area. We have completed draft S&T models for all published ESD's in Rich County. Work in Box Elder
County, funded by the Bureau of Land Management has been completed and we are working on manuscripts for publication. This work has supported an M.S. student (Ms. Cynthia Tyler) who worked on the historic land cover classification and a Ph.D. student (Mr. Alexander Hernandez) who continues to develop a continuous vegetation cover model.
PARTICIPANTS: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management, NASA, Utah Department of Natural Resources, Utah Department of Agriculture
TARGET AUDIENCES: Researchers, managers
Impacts
This work continues to promote the use of remote sensing to monitor semi-arid rangelands. The Natural Resources Conservation Service continues to fund a project to develop state and transition models for Rich County Utah. We are initiating worked with the Utah State Department of Agriculture and Department of Natural Resources to map the extent and density of Cheat Grass across Utah.
Publications
- Lowry, J.L. Jr., R.D. Ramsey, et al. 2007. Mapping Meso-Scale Land Cover Over Very Large Geographic Areas Within a Collaborative Framework: A Case Study of the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project (SWReGAP). Remote Sensing of Environment 108:59-73.
- Nield, S.J., J.L. Boettinger, R. D. Ramsey 2007. Digitally Mapping Gypsic and Natric Soils Using Landsat and Topographic Data. Soil Science Society of America Journal 71:245-252.
- Washington-Allen, R.A., N. E. West, R. D. Ramsey, and R. A. Efroymson 2006. A Protocol for Retrospective Remote Sensing-Based Ecological Monitoring of Rangelands. Range Ecology and Management 59(1):19-29.
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
For this reporting period we continue to digitize the historic literature and ground photo database compiled over the career of Dr. Neil West. We currently have approximately 2,285 scanned reprints of peer-reviewed literature and government documents. These are stored in PDF format and have been processed using an optical character recognition (OCR) program to make each file searchable. In addition to these documents, we have scanned over 11,000 35mm transparencies taken by Dr. West during his career. All scanned 35mm transparencies are being documented in a database to allow quick searches. This collection represents a valuable and irreproducible history that will assist in the characterization of baseline range conditions and an understanding of transitional pathways for various ecosystems. Additional progress includes assisting the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to correlate Ecological Site Descriptions (ESD) for Rich County, Utah. This is in
preparation for the development of state-and-transition (S&T) models for this area. We have completed a draft S&T model for low sagebrush sites in Rich County. This represents one of the more straight forward ecological systems in this area. Work in Box Elder County is near completion with the development of a historic land cover classification for the county and the modeling of continuous vegetation cover for trees, shrubs, herbaceous, and bare ground using remote sensing imagery (due for completion in 2007).
Impacts
This work continues to promote the use of remote sensing to monitor semi-arid rangelands. The Bureau of Land Management has funded additional work in Box Elder County to evaluate the losses or changes of Big Sagebrush communities to agriculture, annual weeds, and/or Juniper invasion. The Natural Resources Conservation Service has also funded a project to develop state and transition models for Rich County Utah.
Publications
- N.E. Zimmermann, R.A. Washington-Allen, R.D. Ramsey, M.E. Schaepman, L. Mathys, B. Koetz, M. Kneubuehler, T.C. Edwards. 2006. Modern remote sensing for environmental monitoring of landscape states and trajectories. Chapter 3.2 in: A Changing World: Challenges for Landscape Research Series: Landscape Series, Vol. 8. Kienast, F., S. Ghosh, and O. Wildi (Eds.).
- Sexton, J.O., R. D. Ramsey, D.L. Bartos. 2006. Habitone Analysis of Quaking Aspen in the Utah Book Cliffs: Effects of Site Water Demand and Conifer Cover. Ecological Modeling, 198: pp. 301-311.
- Washington-Allen, R.A., N. E. West, R. D. Ramsey, and R. A. Efroymson. 2006. A Protocol for Retrospective Remote Sensing-Based Ecological Monitoring of Rangelands, Rangeland Ecology and Management. 59(1): pp. 19-29.
- West, N.E., T. P. Yorks. 2006. Long-Term Interactions of Climate, Productivity, Species Richness and Growth Form in Relictual Sagebrush Steppe Plant Communities. Western North American Naturalist 66(4): pp. 502-526.
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
Progress Narrative: This past reporting period, we continue to develop the spatial, literature, and scientific databases to identify, monitor, and predict changes in land cover states in the Intermountain West. We are in the process of scanning and digitizing literature, photographic slides, and data tables contained in the files of Dr. Neil West. This collection of research material consists of more than 100 file drawers of refereed publications, gray literature, and field data forms dealing with rangelands in the Intermountain West. Further Dr. West's collection consists of a personal collection of over 8,000 photographic transparencies collected between 1960 and 2005, as well as historic photographs collected by the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies from the turn of the 20th century. This collection represents a valuable and irreproducible history that will assist in the characterization of baseline range conditions and an understanding of transitional
pathways for various ecosystems. All literature and photographic transparencies will be entered into a database for ease of access. In addition to the Neil West collection, we have completed the SWReGAP land cover map for the 5 southwestern states. This database consists of a regional land cover map along with approximately 45,000 digital photographs of land cover conditions tied to GPS coordinates and land cover estimates. This database is being used by a variety of land management and research organizations to evaluate current land cover conditions. This SWReGAP database can be accessed at http://earth.gis.usu.edu/swgap.
Impacts
This work continues to promote the use of remote sensing to monitor semi-arid rangelands. The Bureau of Land Management is funding additional work in Box Elder County to evaluate the losses or changes of Big Sagebrush communities to agriculture, annual weeds, and Juniper invasion. The Natural Resources Conservation Service will also be funding a project to develop state and transition models for North Western Utah.
Publications
- White, M.A., J.D. Shaw, R.D. Ramsey. 2005. Accuracy assessment of the vegetation continuous field tree cover product using 3954 ground plots in the southwestern USA. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 26(12): pp 2699-2704.
- West, N.E., F. L. Dougher, G.S. Manis, R.D. Ramsey. 2005. A comprehensive ecological land classification for Utah's West Desert. Western North American Naturalist, 65(3): pp 281-309.
- Sant, E. 2005. Identifying Temporal Trends in Treated Sagebrush Communities Using Remotely Sensed Imagery. Masters Thesis, Department of Forest, Range, and Wildlife Sciences, Utah State University.
- Staggs, T. 2005. Early Vegetational Responses to Supplimented and Non-supplemented Fall Sheep Grazing Treatments in a Sagebrush Steppe. Masters Thesis, Department of Forest, Range, and Wildlife Sciences, Utah State University.
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
Focus this year has been concentrated on getting papers into peer-reviewed journal outlets rather than starting new efforts. The completed MS thesis of Lisa Langs and nearly completed MS theses of Eric Sant and Chris McGinty are the starting point for our most recent efforts in this regard.
Impacts
Rangeland monitoring continues to be a contentious issue, especially on federal grazing permits. The new methods we have developed, based on use of archived photo and satellite imagery are now available to retrospectively analyze changes anywhere since 1972 or be put into a prospective mode. A few, mainly in the private sector, are beginning to follow our demonstrations of these new approaches.
Publications
- Ramsey, R.D., D. Wright, and C. McGinty. 2004. Evaluating the use of Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper to monitor vegetation cover in shrub steppe environments. Geocarto International, 19(2):29-47.
- Washington-Allen, R.A., T.G. Van Niel, R.D. Ramsey and N.E. West. 2004. Remote sensing based piosphere analysis. GIScience and Remote Sensing, 41:136-154.
- Washington-Allen, R.A., R.D. Ramsey, and N.E. West. 2004. Spatiotemporal mapping of the dry season vegetation response of sagebrush steppe. Community Ecology, 5:69-79.
- Lowry, J., C. Garrard, and D. Ramsey. 2004. Land Cover mapping Using StatMod: An ArcView 3.x Extension for Classification of Trees Using SPLUS. GAP Analysis Bulletin No. 12, U.S. Geological Survey.
- Ramsey, R.D. and L. Shultz. 2004. Evaluating the geographic distribution of herbarium collections in Utah from the Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Utah. Western North American Naturalist 64(4):421-432.
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
The now completed PhD dissertation of R.A. Washington-Allen, involving almost 10 years of research at Deseret Ranch, is being turned into journal papers explaining four new remotely sensed methods for monitoring rangelands. B. Baldwin completed an M.S. thesis on a remotely sensed means of identifying pinyon-juniper woodlands in danger of being consumed by fire. T. Sajwaj completed an M.S. Thesis on use of landscape metrics to gauge degree of change in shrub-dominated rangelands. These, too are being turned into journal papers.
Impacts
Some of the methods developed in Washington-Allen's and Baldwin's work are already being used by rangeland consultants and managers.
Publications
- Washington-Allen, R.A., N.E. West, R.D. Ramsey and D.K. Phillips. 2003. Retrospective assessment of soil stability on a landscape subject to commercial grazing. pp. 782-784 in N. Allsopp et al. (Eds.) Proceedings of the VIIth International Rangelands Congress, Document Transformation Technologies, LLC, Durban, South Africa.
- Washington-Allen, R.A., N.E. West and R.D. Ramsey. 2003. Remote sensing based dynamical systems analyses of sagebrush steppe vegetation in rangelands. pp. 416-418 in N. Allsopp et al. (Eds.) Proceedings of the VII th International Rangelands Congress, document Transformation Technologies LLC. Durban, South Africa.
- West, N.E. 2003. Theoretical underpinnings of rangeland monitoring. Arid Land Research and Management 17:333-346.
- West, N.E. 2003. History of rangeland monitoring in the USA. Arid Land Research and Management 17:495-545.
- West, N.E. and B. Wu. 2003. New alternatives for rangeland monitoring . Rangelands 25(1):24-26.
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
A 20-year set of plant and soil cover data were obtained from sagebrush semi-desert plant communities in eastern Juab County, Utah, that were first inventoried before a wildfire in 1981 and then either protected from grazing or grazed subsequently. These data were organized by plant species, growth forms, and other ground cover classes. Graphical analyses, ordination, regression, and ANOVA were done. Each data format-analysis combination yielded somewhat differing monitoring perspectives. The vegetation didn't recover toward pre-burn conditions. Few tight linkages between species were observed. Also there was no evidence that thresholds were crossed into new states.
Impacts
Our case study shows that the new state and transition models don't apply everywhere. This has cooled some over-extrapolation of this concept and given others pause for more careful interpretation of time series data from rangelands.
Publications
- West, N.E. and T.P. Yorks. 2002. Vegetation responses following wildfire on grazed and ungrazed sagebrush semi-desert. Journal of Range Management 55:171-181.
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Progress 01/01/01 to 12/31/01
Outputs
We presented five new approaches to monitoring rangelands to the public in 2001. First, an Australian field sampling technique emphasizing cover by perennial plant life forms and number and size of soil patches was tested in Utah's West Desert. The few and widely scattered patches of perennial plants make it difficult for any sub-sampling approach to yield statistically significant differences for all but bare ground and major plant species. For Deseret Ranch we developed four new synoptic (everywhere, simultaneous) approaches using satellite imagery archived since 1972. Time series of changes in life form dominance (Method 1) showed that the proportion of the eastern half of the ranch dominated by grass has generally declined and the shrub-dominated portions have increased. These changes were most rapid where grazing extended into drought periods. Analysis of vegetation recovery following return of wet periods in gradients from representative watering points (Method
2) detected some features of permanent degradation. Application of a model of soil erosion (Method 3) indicated recovery to stable conditions following wet years. Landscape composition, structure and pattern expressed in landscape metrics (Method 4) showed shrubland encroachment and landscape fragmentation crossed a threshold between 1989 and 1991, a response coincident with high stocking rates and intense drought in 1988 and 1989.
Impacts
We have produced five new or modified ways of monitoring rangelands. Four of the methods can capture past changes that have already occurred. These retrospective methods complement the limitations of sparse point sampling on the ground.
Publications
- Mayne, S. and N. West. 2001. Field testing of a new Australian method of rangeland monitoring. Pp. 315-317. In: McArthur, E.D. and D.J. Fairbanks, compilers. Shrubland Ecosystem Genetics and Biodiversity: Proceedings. U.S.D.A., Forest Service, Rocky Mtn. Res. Sta. RMRS P-21. Ogden, UT.
- Karnieli, A., R.F. Kokaly, N.E. West and R.N. Clark. 2001. Remote sensing of biological soil crusts. Pp. 431-455. In: J. Belnap and O.L. Lange (eds.) Biological Soil Crusts: Structure, Function and Management. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
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Progress 01/01/00 to 12/31/00
Outputs
Analyses during 2000 focused on use of landscape metrics derived from 27 years of LANDSAT imagery. We found that the sagebrush steppe dominated portions on the eastern side of Deseret Ranch showed the most dynamism. Woody plant encroachment on grasslands increased during the early 1970s but stabilized after 1973. By 1977 shrub patches had become more clumped, but the patches were smaller in size than they had been previously. This led to a landscape that was more fragmented by 1997. From 1972 to 1997, grass patches became smaller in size while the density of patches remained nearly constant. Over the 1972-97 time span, mean cover due to bare soil did not change appreciably, although mean bare soil patch size became smaller and their density increased.
Impacts
Landscape metrics provide a new means of assessing changes over entire, large areas of rangelands. Archived satellite images from 1972 to present can be analyzed and the indices interpreted in the light of ancillary data on management actions and climate. Ranchers and land management personnel may find this approach an alternative to trying to defend trend imterpretations made from sparse point samples.
Publications
- West, N.E. 2000. Synecology and disturbance regimes of sagebrush steppe ecosystems. pp. 15-26 in Entwistle, P.G., A.M. DeBolt, J.H. Kaltenecker and K. Steenhof (compilers). Proceedings: Sagebrush Steppe Ecosystems Symposium. Bureau of Land Management Publicaiton No. BLM/ID/PT-0011001+1150.
- West, N.E. and J.A. Young. 2000. Vegetation of Intermountain valleys and lower mountain slopes. pp. 255-284 in M.A. Barbour and W.D. Billings (eds). North American Terrestrial Vegetation, 2nd ed. Cambridge Univ. Press, New York.
- Archer, S., W. MacKay, J. Mott, S.E. Nicholson, M.P. Moreno, M.L. Rosensweig, N.G. Seligman, N.E. West and J. Williams. 1999. Arid and semi-arid land community dynamics in a management context. pp. 48-74 in T.W. Hoekstra and M. Shachak (eds.) Arid Lands Management: Toward Ecological Sustainability. Univ. Illinois Press, Urbana.
- Bork, E.W., N.E. West and K.P. Price. 1999. Calibration of broad-and narrow-band spectral variables for rangeland cover component quantification. International J. Remote Sensing 20:3641-3662.
- West, N.E., R.A. Washington-Allen and R.D. Ramsey. 2000. Characterization of the ecological integrity of commercially grazed rangelands using remote sensing-based ecological indicators. pp. 32-33 in EPA Proceedings, 2000 STAR Grant Progress NV, USEPA, ORD/ NCER 600/R-00/017.
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Progress 01/01/99 to 12/31/99
Outputs
Soil Adjusted Vegetation Indices (SAVI) were synoptically derived from LANDSAT imagery since 1972 to assess trends in plant cover over the entire eastern, lowland portions of Deseret Ranch in northern Utah. as well as smaller, subdivisions of that property. SAVI varied considerably over time largely in response to climatic fluctuations. However, by using two images per year (dry vs wet season) and noting how SAVI varied within a given year away from water sources and other foci of animal and human activity, we were able to differentiate the trends in vegetation due to management from the fluctuations due to climate. We will be testing other synoptic indices (Soil Surface Index, 12 different landscape metrics) for repeatability and ease of interpretation. Means of reducing data requirements, yet allowing similar conclusions, is also part of our plan to make this new approach to rangeland monitoring economically feasible.
Impacts
A promising new means of monitoring rangeland trend from satellite images has been demonstrated for a large ranch in northern Utah. Because such images are available since 1972, it may be possible to retrospectively construct how little or much rangelands over other large area have changed over about the past three decades.
Publications
- Creque, J.A., S.D. Bassett and N.E. West. 1999. Viewpoint: Delineating ecological sites. Journal of Range Management 52:546-549.
- Bork, E.W., N.E. West, K.P. Price and J.W. Walker. 1999. Rangeland cover component quantification using calibrated broad (TM) and narrow-band (1.4nM) spectrometry. Journal of Range Management 52:249-257.
- Bork, E.W., N.E. West and K.A. Price. 1998. In situ narrowband reflectance characteristics of cover components in a sagebrush steppe rangeland. Geocarto International 13:5-15.
- Rasmussen, G.A., M. Pellant and D. Pyke. 1999. Reliability of a qualitative assessment process on rangeland ecosystems. pp. 781-782 in D. Eldridge and D. Freudenberger (eds.) People and Rangelands: Building the future. Proceed. VI Internat. Rangeland Congress, Vol. 2, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- West, N.E. 1999. Accounting for rangeland resources over entire landscapes. pp. 726-736 in D. Eldridge and D. Freudenberger (eds.). People and Rangelands: Building the Future. Proceed. VI. Internat. Rangeland Congress, Vol. 2, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
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Progress 01/01/98 to 12/31/98
Outputs
All of the results of the point-based tests of narrow-band spectroradiometry to detect vegetation change at the U.S. Sheep Station have been published or accepted in peer-reviewed journals. While it was possible to detect obvious changes in balances between life forms, species level distinctions were generally unreliable. Much data and their manipulation are required to get the terminal results from this method. Accordingly, we have switched our efforts to using satellite imagery to synoptically monitor rangeland conditions at Deseret Ranch. Now that the geographic information system for that ranch nears completion, we are begin testing of alternative approaches to detecting changes in vegetation and soils in response to both climate and management manipulations such as changes in livestock and big game numbers and seasons of use, as well as prescribed burning and changes in fencing. We have set up a website where our progress can be reviewed
(URL:www.esd.ornl.gov/preview/obq/).
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- WEST, N.E. 1998. Managing rangelands for biodiversity. Pp. 101-126 in W.W. Collins and C.O. Qualset (eds.) Biodiversity in Agroecosystems. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
- BORK, E.W, N.E. WEST AND J.W. WALKER. 1998. Three-tip sagebrush steppe response to long-term seasonal sheep grazing. Journal of Range Management 51(3):293-300.
- BORK, E.W. N.E. WEST, J.A. DOOLITTLE AND J.L. BOETTINGER. 1998. Rangeland site assessment of grazing treatments using electromagnetic induction. Journal of Range Management 51(4):469-474.
- WASHINGTON-ALLEN, R.A., R.D. RAMSEY, B.E. NORTON AND N.E. WEST. 1998. Change detection of the effect of severe drought on subsistence agropastoral communities on the Bolivian altiplano. International Journal of Remote Sensing 19(7):1319-1333.
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Progress 01/01/97 to 12/31/97
Outputs
The landscape metrics of largest patch, number of patches, patch density, double log fractal dimension, Simpson's diversity, interspersion and contagion were determined for different fractions of Camp Williams, Utah. While no significant differences were detected between these fractions, we did show that these kinds of synoptic indices can be derived from satellite imagery of entire landscapes dominated by sagebrush steppe, oakbrush, and juniper woodlands. A test of time series of satellite imagery of Deseret Ranch, where there are better management records, is underway and being funded largely by a new EPA grant.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Boettinger, J.L., J.A. Doolittle, N.E. West, E.W. Bork, and E.W. Schupp. 1997. Non-destructive assessment of rangeland soil depth to petrocalcic horizon using electromagnetic induction. Arid Soil Research and Rehabilitation 11(4):375-390.
- West, N.E. and E.L. Smith. 1997. Improving the monitoring of rangelands. Rangelands 19(6):9-14.
- Rasmussen, G.A., M.P. O'Neill, and L. Schmidt. 1995. Monitoring Rangelands: Interpreting what you see. Utah State Univ. Extension Bulletin 503. 41 p.
- Bork, E.W. 1997. Rangeland condition assessment using high spatial and spectral resolution remote sensing. Ph.D. dissertation, Utah State University, Logan. 299 pp.
- West, N.E. 1997. How healthy are our rangelands? Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy 12(3):145-146.
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Progress 01/01/96 to 12/30/96
Outputs
Multi-temporal (3 times during summer) narrow band spectral radiometer data yielded unique response curves for most growth form classes of living plant cover and even major species within sagebrush steppe at the U.S. Sheep Expt. Station. Standing dead shrubs and litter were, however, difficult to distinguish from bare soil. Electromagnetic induction showed that there was no significant difference in soil depths between paddocks at the U.S.S.E.S. Repeat of cover measurements have shown the spring-grazed paddocks have less forbs and grass, but more brush than the fall-grazed paddocks where the grass and forb cover is thriving after 66 years, under that grazing regime. A set of three years of Landsat imagery, scattered over the past 22 years, covering the eastern portion of the Deseret Land and Livestock property have been obtained. Fencelines, watering points, salting points, soils, and fire boundaries were located with GPS, digitized and entered into GIS. Stocking
rates and timing of grazing by livestock in each of the 35 pastures have been entered on spread sheets.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- HOSTEN, P.E. AND WEST, N.E. 1996. Using a piosphere approach to examine change in sagebrush steppe plant communities along gradients of livestock impact in north Laidlaw Park, Idaho. pp. 248-249 in Proceedings Vth International Rangeland Co HOSTEN, P.E.
- AND WEST, N.E. 1996. Long-term trends of vegetation of sagebrush steppe relicts in southern Idaho. Abstracts of the annual meeting of the Societyfor Range Management, pp. 36-37.
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Progress 01/01/95 to 12/30/95
Outputs
Efforts were divided between writing up results of past efforts at the Mills site (from the Hosten dissertation) and launching new investigations using hyperspectral data (narrow band spectroradiometry) at the U.S. Sheep Station and satellite imagery at Deseret Ranch and Camp Williams. The Mills site has a new owner who did not graze livestock this year. Early results of the hyperspectral work shows promise for quantifying different ground covers in a non-traditional way. The formerly monitored plots at Deseret were violated by other investigators, unbalancing the design. Deseret satellite imagery analyses are in an early stage. Ten landscape metrics applied to satellite imagery of Camp Williams were distinctly different between differently treated landscapes.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- BOETTINGER, J.L., WEST, N.E. AND DOOLITTLE, J.A. 1995. Reducing variability in plot design: Non-destructive assessment of soil depth using electromagnetic induction. Supplement to Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 76(3):303.
- HOSTEN, P.E. AND WEST, N.E. 1995. Using a piosphere approach to examine change in sagebrush steppe plant communities along gradients of livestock impact in north Laidlaw Park, Idaho. Proceedings Vth International Rangeland Congress, Salt La
- HOSTEN, P.E. 1995. Assessing the relative utility of models of vegetation dynamics for the management of sagebrush steppe rangelands. Ph.D. dissertation, Utah State Univ., Logan. 194 pp.
- MUNGUIA, L.E. 1995. Quantification of landscape structure within the Land Condition and Trend Analysis monitoring program at Camp Williams, Utah. M.S. thesis, Utah State Univ., Logan, 72 pp.
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Progress 01/01/94 to 12/30/94
Outputs
Although ground-based data collection and repeat photos were once again taken atthe Mills and Deseret Ranch study sites, our major effort was devoted to analyzing the previous 13 years of vegetational data and testing ground-penetrating radar and electromagnetic induction as a means of non-destructively determining effective soil depth at Mills. Ordination, serial correlation and graphical representations of individual species and life forms were used. While ordination yielded unique trajectories for each plot, all ungrazed plots showed convergence toward pre-fire conditions in 1981. As cattle grazing intensified since 1989, the grazed plots showed divergence. Perennial bunch grass now dominates on all treatments, although their absolute cover is now significantly less on the grazed plots than when first recorded in 1981. Furthermore, Salsola has become increasing abundant there recently.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- HOSTEN, P.E. AND WEST, N.E. 1994. Cheatgrass dynamics following wildfire on a sagebrush semidesert site in central Utah. p. 56-62 In Proc.-Ecology & Management of Annual Rangelands. USDA For. Serv. Intermountain Res. Sta. Gen. Tech. Rep. IN
- WEST, N.E., MCDANIEL, K., SMITH, E.L., TUELLER, P.T. AND LEONARD, S. 1994. Monitoring and interpreting ecological integrity on arid and semi-arid lands of the western United States. New Mex. Range Improvement Task Force Rep. 37. p. 17.
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Progress 01/01/93 to 12/30/93
Outputs
The thirteenth consecutive set of end of growing season vegetation cover data and photos were collected near Mills, Utah during the third week of July. Various ordination and graphical approaches are being used to describe the separate and differential responses of the various replicates within the grazed and protected treatments. Cover data and photos at permanent points were taken for the second time at Deseret Ranch in Rich Co. Utah at a set of exclosures fencing out various classes of herbivores from sagebrush steppe. Mark Ritchie is collecting estimates of plant production within these exclosures and matched un-excluded areas also. We eventually expect the analytical methods developed for the Mills study to be helpful in interpreting the likely more subtly different treatments at Deseret.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- JOHNSON, D.A. AND WEST, N.E. 1993. Soil surface ripples around the Great Salt Lake Desert and their relation to rangeland condition. Abstracts of the annual meeting, Society for Range Management, #177.
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Progress 01/01/92 to 12/30/92
Outputs
Vegetation cover data were again collected near Mills, Utah during the third week of July. Various ordination and graphical approaches are being tried on these and the previous 11 years worth of data both inside and outside exclosures. Three sets of large, new exclosures were established in sagebrush steppe on the Deseret Ranch in Rich County, Utah. We took plant cover data and photographs after the major flush of plant growth and livestock utilization. Analysis of the data shows that one area has homogeneous enough vegetation to make subsequent monitoring feasible. Ten piospheres in Laidlaw Park, Blaine Co., Idaho were evaluated as space-for-time substitutes for unraveling changes in sagebrush steppe due to varying livestock grazing histories. The ripples at Dugway Proving Ground are more likely formed and maintained by wind erosion of a sparse supply of loess over salorthids. These ripples have moved about 10m downwind since 1953. Similar ripples have now been found
elsewhere, but are less conspicuous because microphytic crusts have been diminished by livestock trampling and wildfire.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- NO PUBLICATIONS REPORTED THIS PERIOD. 1992.
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Progress 01/01/91 to 12/30/91
Outputs
Vegetation cover data were collected at the Mills site during July. Vegetation cover data from the past 10 years since the wildfire were ordinated. Marked differences between the communities in the exclosures and outside them where livestock grazing is taking place are now becoming evident. The droughty conditions of the past few years may be accentuating the differences. Drs O. J. H. Bosch and J. Booysen of Potchefstroom University, Republic of South Africa, visited during the month of October. They presented their expert systems-based approach to rangeland monitoring to us, the WRRC-40 group and a small group of management and advisory agency personnel in Utah. We gathered a small set of compatible data from Rush Valley, Utah. Full implementation of their approach will require outside funding to build growth and utilization models specific to Utah conditions. Considerable effort was spent on trying to generate this support. Potential study sites near the Henry
Mountains, in Rush Valley and at Deseret Ranch have been identified.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- NO PUBLICATIONS REPORTED THIS PERIOD.
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